So, I regularly get questions from the uninitiated who want to start a towing business.
Questions like…
What percentage of my business should be devoted to each customer type? Motor clubs, police towing, repos, PPI, and cash calls.
Can a towing business operate without being on State rotation?
Should I start providing nonconsensual towing immediately since I’ll need to invest in real estate?
Of course, much of the answers depend on the person’s specific circumstances.
How much time and money will you invest?
The opportunities available in your area.
State and local regulations and requirements.
And a whole lot of other factors that I couldn’t possibly answer in an email. You’re going to need coaching for help there.
I also receive questions from “freebie-seekers.”
Like this…
“I’m in a tight spot right now and was wondering if there was anything I could do to get more cash calls FOR FREE.”
Yep, there are people who still believe that there’s an easy way to get cash-paying customers outside the normal hard work of consistently working on both your online and offline presence.
It’s like their towing business is some sort of side-hustle.
Honestly, I don’t get it.
If this sounds like something you might ask, then you probably want to think about why you’re “in a tight spot” to begin with.
Could it be that rather than building relationships and working on growing your business with proven strategies, you’re always looking for the cheapest, newest, trickiest…customer acquisition methods?
Like buying LEADS!
Or posting nonsense on GregsList, TickTock, UTube, InstaFace, and others.
Don’t get me wrong, Social Media is good if you understand how it’s used, but it’s not gonna get your phone ringing today!
People don’t go to Social Media to search for help with their car. They’re there to interact with content that is funny, uplifting, or teaches them something.
You provide a service.
A service that people cannot be coerced into using if they don’t need it.
You gotta put in the work.
The other day, I was on the phone, and one of my clients had an “Ah Ha” moment.
We were discussing the correlation between being physically visible in his market (i.e. visiting other businesses) and the need for improved online visibility.
It went a little something like this…
When you take the time to visit with people in your community, you’re letting them get to know, like, and trust you.
Now, they may not need any of the services you provide for months to come.
And even when they do need a tow truck…there’s no guarantee that they’ll immediately remember your name or the name of your business.
It’s at this point that most will go online and search for “tow truck” or something related.
Here’s the good part…
If you’ve been consistent, rather than choosing some rando they’ve never seen before, if your business is on Google’s first page, there’s a good chance they’ll recognize your business name and choose you.
That’s what you want.
So stop futzing around with your side-hustle and start a real business.
Recency is the name of the game.
Don Archer
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